“We saw the very best of today’s cycling, at the maximum level. And we still have a lot to learn in one-day races like this.” The day of Team Colombia-Coldeportes’ at Il Lombardia, on October 4th, is all in Claudio Corti’s words, as the riders were severely tested by the plenty of climbs and hard pace over the 243 km from Bergamo to Como.

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) brought a Monument back to Italy after seven years, celebrating solo on the finishing line in Como. The Italian national champion dropped the fellow six leaders of the race (including former Colombia-Coldeportes rider Esteban Chaves) in the descent of the penultimate climb of the day, Civiglio, managing to maintain a gap over his chasers on the final ascent, San Fermo della Battaglia, and finally raising his arms under a bright sun in Como, after rain had poured on the riders in the early going.

Miguel Angel Rubiano, 42nd, was the first Colombia-Coldeportes rider to the line. “Experiences like this are worth a lot: races like Lombardia, Sanremo, can’t be learned without actually facing them,” Corti told. “In 2012, Chaves made his debut in this race, and he suffered mightily, like it happened today for youngsters like Daniel Martinez and Brayan Ramirez: today Esteban held on with the strongest until the end (he was eight after suffering from cramps), and I believe this tough day will eventually help them too.

“Did we want to do better? Obviously we did, and each and every of the guys knows that. But in cycling you have no ‘rewind’ button. The next race is always your only way of redemption: we will face the final week of the season with the ambition of proving a point, and even more after today’s display.”

From October 8 to 11, Team Colombia-Coldeportes will race the Abu Dhabi Tour, while in Italy the team will take in Coppa Sabatini (October 8th), Giro dell’Emilia (October 10th) e GP Beghelli (October 11th).